Through an innovative collaboration, Liverpool Football Club partnered with “Google DeepMind” to develop the “TacticAI” technology, an advanced artificial intelligence system aimed at revolutionizing how football coaches deal with corner kicks.
The “complete artificial intelligence system” functions as a tactical advisor, utilizing predictive and creative AI to enhance the strategic decision-making process in football matches. This partnership, which began in 2010 and is now in its third year, aims to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in various sports and industries.
“TacticAI” was meticulously trained using data from 7176 corner kicks for Liverpool. Its ability to provide strategic insights on improving corner kick procedures received a high approval rate from football experts, with Liverpool’s experts preferring AI suggestions 90% of the time over traditional tactical setups. A detailed study published in the “Nature Communication” journal confirms artificial intelligence’s capability to transform football analysis and strategies.
Remarkably, the artificial intelligence system successfully identified the recipient as one of the top 3 options 78% of the time in tests. By leveraging this predictive power, coaches can devise offensive or defensive strategies to increase or decrease the chances of receiving and shooting the ball towards the goal. “TacticAI” achieves this by studying past corner kick patterns and offering tactical recommendations to achieve desired outcomes.
Addressing crucial questions such as predicting who will receive the ball and the shooting opportunity, “TacticAI” employs a deep learning approach for tactical football analysis. This innovation streamlines the tactical planning process, reducing the need for intensive manual labor, allowing sports analysts to review numerous match videos, study previous actions and opposing teams. Additionally, “TacticAI” calculates player numerical representations to facilitate effective review of past actions, providing a significant advantage over traditional analysis.
The impact of “TacticAI” extends beyond corner kicks, indicating its potential application in other tactical aspects of football and even in other sports. Bitar Felekovich, the key figure behind “TacticAI” and a representative of “Google DeepMind,” emphasizes the role of artificial intelligence as an assistant rather than a substitute for human coaches. By quickly analyzing data and pinpointing team errors, “TacticAI” enhances the tactical planning process, allowing coaches to focus on the creative aspects of their work.
As Liverpool and “Google DeepMind” continue their collaboration, producing research papers exploring the potential of artificial intelligence in football, the “TacticAI” technology serves as evidence of AI effectiveness in sports. By integrating AI into tactical planning and analysis, this technology enhances football strategies and paves the way for new approaches in sports and industries. This partnership represents a significant advancement in sports analytics, promising a future where artificial intelligence and human expertise merge to push boundaries in football and beyond.
